The Complete GEO CORE Checklist: 16 Checkpoints Every Page Needs 2026-01-18 • 10 min read
The GEO CORE checklist contains 16 checkpoints across four dimensions: Context (4), Organization (4), Reliability (4), and Exclusivity (4). Use this checklist before publishing any page to ensure AI search engines can understand, extract, and cite your content effectively.
This checklist is based on the GEO CORE model and is what powers the GEO-Lens extension audit. Each checkpoint can be verified manually or automatically with the tool.
✓ C (Context): C01 Direct Answer, C02 Intent Headings, C03 FAQ, C04 Wrap-up✓ O (Organization): O01 Summary Box, O02 Tables, O03 Lists, O04 Heading Hierarchy✓ R (Reliability): R01 Citations, R02 Author Info, R03 Freshness, R04 Data Precision✓ E (Exclusivity): E01 Original Insights, E02 Visual Depth, E03 Content Depth, E04 Unique DataHow to Use This Checklist Review each checkpoint before publishing. Aim for Pass on all high-priority items (marked with ⭐). Some checkpoints may not apply to every page type—GEO-Lens automatically adjusts based on whether you're auditing a blog post, product page, or landing page.
C - Context Checkpoints # Context checkpoints evaluate how well your content addresses user intent and provides direct answers.
C01: Direct Answer Intro ⭐ # What to Check Does your main answer appear in the first 150-200 words? Pass Criteria Clear answer or definition statement before any general introduction Why It Matters AI systems extract answers from early content. Buried answers are often missed. Quick Fix Move your conclusion/answer to the first paragraph. Save context for after.
C02: Intent-Rich Headings ⭐ # What to Check Do >50% of H2/H3 headings include intent keywords (What, How, Why, Best, Guide)? Pass Criteria Headings clearly indicate what question/topic is being addressed Why It Matters AI uses headings to understand content structure and match to user queries Quick Fix Rewrite vague headings like “Overview” to “What is [Topic]?”
C03: FAQ Module # What to Check Is there a structured FAQ section or FAQPage schema? Pass Criteria Dedicated FAQ section with question-answer pairs, ideally with schema markup Why It Matters FAQs capture long-tail queries and provide extractable Q&A pairs for AI Quick Fix Add 3-5 common questions with concise answers at the end of your content
C04: Semantic Wrap-up # What to Check Is there a clear conclusion or summary section? Pass Criteria Dedicated section summarizing key points and answering the initial question Why It Matters Creates semantic closure; AI can verify the content addresses its stated purpose Quick Fix Add a “Conclusion” or “Summary” H2 with 2-3 key takeaways
O - Organization Checkpoints # Organization checkpoints evaluate how well your content is structured for AI extraction.
O01: Summary Box ⭐ # What to Check Is there a TL;DR, Key Takeaways, or highlighted summary box? Pass Criteria Visually distinct summary section near the top of the content Why It Matters Provides easily extractable key points in a structured format Quick Fix Add a bulleted list of 3-5 key points in a highlighted box after the intro
O02: Data Tables # What to Check Are comparisons, specs, or data presented in table format? Pass Criteria At least one HTML table for structured data (not images of tables) Why It Matters Tables are highly structured and easy for AI to parse and cite Quick Fix Convert any comparison paragraphs into proper HTML tables
O03: List Density # What to Check Are lists used appropriately throughout the content? Pass Criteria Ratio of at least 0.1 lists per content section/paragraph Why It Matters Lists break down information into scannable, extractable chunks Quick Fix Convert run-on sentences with multiple items into bulleted lists
O04: Heading Hierarchy ⭐ # What to Check Does your heading structure follow H1 → H2 → H3 without skipping levels? Pass Criteria One H1, H2s for main sections, H3s for subsections—no jumps Why It Matters Proper hierarchy helps AI understand content structure and relationships Quick Fix Review all headings; fix any H1→H3 or H2→H4 jumps
R - Reliability Checkpoints # Reliability checkpoints evaluate the trustworthiness signals in your content.
R01: External Citations ⭐ # What to Check Do you have 3+ external links to authoritative sources? Pass Criteria Links to .gov, .edu, industry authorities, or primary research Why It Matters Demonstrates research and allows AI to verify your claims Quick Fix Add links to primary sources for any statistics or claims you make
R02: Author Credentials ⭐ # What to Check Is author name, photo, and bio visible? Pass Criteria Author byline + at least 30-word bio with relevant credentials Why It Matters Establishes expertise and accountability for the content Quick Fix Add an author box with photo, name, title, and relevant experience
R03: Freshness # What to Check Is a “Last Updated” date visible and recent? Pass Criteria Updated within the last 12 months for most topics Why It Matters AI prefers current information for time-sensitive topics Quick Fix Add visible publish and update dates; review content regularly
R04: Data Precision # What to Check Are numbers presented with proper units and sources? Pass Criteria Statistics include units (%, $, ms) and source attribution Why It Matters Precise data is more credible and citable than vague claims Quick Fix Replace “most users” with “67% of users (Source)”
E - Exclusivity Checkpoints # Exclusivity checkpoints evaluate whether your content offers unique value.
E01: Original Insights ⭐ # What to Check Does your content include first-person experience or analysis? Pass Criteria Phrases like “I tested,” “We analyzed,” “In our experience” Why It Matters First-hand insights differentiate your content from aggregated information Quick Fix Add sections describing your testing methodology or personal experience
E02: Visual Depth # What to Check Do you have 3+ non-decorative images (diagrams, screenshots, charts)? Pass Criteria Images that add information value, not just decoration Why It Matters Original visuals indicate depth and effort in content creation Quick Fix Add screenshots, create diagrams, or visualize data as charts
E03: Content Depth ⭐ # What to Check Is your content 1200+ words with comprehensive topic coverage? Pass Criteria Thorough coverage including edge cases and related concepts Why It Matters Comprehensive content demonstrates expertise and provides more citable information Quick Fix Expand thin sections; address common follow-up questions
E04: Unique Data # What to Check Do you include original research, surveys, or exclusive findings? Pass Criteria Data or insights not available elsewhere on the web Why It Matters Unique data makes your content the primary source AI must cite Quick Fix Conduct original testing, survey your audience, or analyze proprietary data
Quick Reference Checklist # Copy-Paste Checklist GEO CORE CHECKLIST
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CONTEXT
[ ] C01: Direct answer in first 150 words
[ ] C02: Intent-rich H2/H3 headings
[ ] C03: FAQ module with structured Q&A
[ ] C04: Clear conclusion/summary section
ORGANIZATION
[ ] O01: Summary/Key Takeaways box
[ ] O02: Data tables for comparisons
[ ] O03: Appropriate list usage
[ ] O04: Proper H1→H2→H3 hierarchy
RELIABILITY
[ ] R01: 3+ authoritative external citations
[ ] R02: Author name, photo, bio visible
[ ] R03: Last updated date (<1 year)
[ ] R04: Numbers with units and sources
EXCLUSIVITY
[ ] E01: First-person insights/experience
[ ] E02: 3+ informative images/diagrams
[ ] E03: 1200+ words with depth
[ ] E04: Original data or research Automate Your Audits # While you can manually verify each checkpoint, GEO-Lens automates this process in seconds. The extension checks all 16 points and provides specific recommendations for improvement.
About the Author
Product Manager at Seenos.ai. Pioneer in AEO research since 2024, exploring the convergence of SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Led multiple AI-powered content optimization projects that achieved 300%+ citation increases in ChatGPT and Perplexity.
